NDLI: Transmissivity estimation for highly heterogeneous aquifers: comparison of three methods applied to the Edwards Aquifer, Texas, USA

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Painter, Scott L. Woodbury, Allan D. Jiang, Yefang
Copyright Year	2006
Abstract	Obtaining reliable hydrological input parameters is a key challenge in groundwater modeling. Although many quantitative characterization techniques exist, experience applying these techniques to highly heterogeneous real-world aquifers is limited. Three geostatistical characterization techniques are applied to the Edwards Aquifer, a limestone aquifer in south-central Texas, USA, for the purposes of quantifying the performance in an 88,000-cell groundwater model. The first method is a simple kriging of existing hydraulic conductivity data developed primarily from single-well tests. The second method involves numerical upscaling to the grid-block scale, followed by cokriging the grid-block conductivity. In the third method, the results of the second method are used to establish the prior distribution for a Bayesian updating calculation. Results of kriging alone are biased towards low values and fail to reproduce hydraulic heads or spring flows. The upscaling/cokriging approach removes most of the systematic bias. The Bayesian update reduced the mean residual by more than a factor of 10, to 6 m, approximately 2.5% of the total head variation in the aquifer. This agreement demonstrates the utility of automatic calibration techniques based on formal statistical approaches and lends further support for using the Bayesian updating approach for highly heterogeneous aquifers.Disposer de paramètres hydrogéologiques d’entrée fiables est une des clés de la modélisation hydrogéologique. Bien que de nombreuses techniques de caractérisation quantitative existent, leur application à des aquifères réels fortement hétérogènes est limitée. Trois techniques géostatistiques de caractérisation sont appliquées à l’aquifère Edwards, un aquifère calcaire situé au sud du centre du Texas, USA, afin d’évaluer leur performance dans un modèle hydrogéologique de 88 000 cellules. La première méthode est un krigeage simple des données disponibles de conductivité hydraulique obtenues à partir d’essais de puits. La seconde méthode fait intervenir une mise à l’échelle au niveau de celle du maillage puis un co-krigeage de la conductivité à cette échelle bloc. Dans la troisième méthode, les résultats obtenus à la deuxième méthode sont utilisés comme distribution préalable à une approche bayésienne. Les résultats du krigeage seul sont biaisés pour les faibles valeurs et ne permettent pas de reproduire les niveaux piézomètriques ou les écoulements des sources. L’approche changement d’échelle/co-krigeage supprime une grande partie du biais systématique. L’approche bayésienne a réduit le résidu moyen d’un facteur supérieur à 10, jusqu’à 6 m, environ 2.5% de la variation piézomètrique totale dans l’aquifère. Ceci démontre l’utilité des techniques de calibration automatique basées sur des approches statistiques formelles et accrédite davantage l’utilisation de l’approche bayésienne dans le cas d’aquifères fortement hétérogènes.La obtención de parámetros hidrológicos de entrada confiables es un desafío clave en la elaboración de modelos de aguas subterráneas. Aunque existen muchas técnicas cuantitativas de caracterización se cuenta con experiencia limitada para aplicar estas técnicas a acuíferos del mundo real altamente heterogéneos. Se han aplicado tres técnicas de caracterización geoestadística al acuífero Edwards, un acuífero de calizas en la parte sur central de Texas, Estados Unidos, con el propósito de cuantificar el desempeño en un modelo de agua subterránea de 88,000 celdas. El primer método es una interpolación kriging simple de los datos existentes de conductividad hidráulica obtenidos principalmente de pruebas en un solo pozo. El segundo método involucra escaleo ascendente numérico a la escala de bloques de la malla seguida por cokriging en la conductividad de los bloques de la malla. En el tercer método, se utilizan los resultados del segundo método para establecer la distribución anterior para un cálculo de actualización Bayesiano. Los resultados únicos de kriging están sesgados hacia valores bajos y fallan en reproducir presiones hidráulicas o flujos de manantial. El enfoque de escaleo superior/cokriging remueve casi todo el sesgo sistemático. La actualización Bayesiana reduce el residual medio en más de un factor de 10, a 6m, aproximadamente 2.5 por ciento de la variación total de presión en el acuífero. Esta consistencia demuestra la utilidad de las técnicas de calibración automática basadas en enfoques estadísticos formales y confiere apoyo adicional para el uso del enfoque de actualización Bayesiano en acuíferos altamente heterogéneos.
Starting Page	315
Ending Page	331
Page Count	17
File Format	PDF
ISSN	14312174
Journal	Hydrogeology Journal
Volume Number	15
Issue Number	2
e-ISSN	14350157
Language	English
Publisher	Springer-Verlag
Publisher Date	2006-07-29
Publisher Institution	International Association of Hydrogeologists
Publisher Place	Berlin, Heidelberg
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Inverse modeling Geostatistics Numerical modeling Edwards Aquifer Bayesian methods Waste Water Technology Water Pollution Control Water Management Aquatic Pollution Geology Hydrogeology
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Earth and Planetary Sciences Water Science and Technology

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